LWV sponsors election forum on proposed state amendments
If you’re like many people, you’re postponing dealing with the November election until you absolutely have to. And you may not even know what the four proposed amendments to Tennessee’s state constitution are.
Members of the newly revitalizing local chapter of the League of Women Voters would like to change that, so they are presenting a forum on the amendments on Monday, Oct. 13. Four speakers will address the state LWV’s positions on the amendments, and there will be time for questions included in the event.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization, and its positions are determined after exhaustive study and analysis.
The proposed amendments are as follows:
• Amendment 1:
“Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”
• Amendment 2:
“Judges of the Supreme Court or any intermediate appellate court shall be appointed for a full term or to fill a vacancy by and at the discretion of the governor; shall be confirmed by the Legislature; and thereafter, shall be elected in a retention election by the qualified voters of the state. Confirmation by default occurs if the Legislature fails to reject an appointee within sixty calendar days of either the date of appointment, if made during the annual legislative session, or the convening date of the next annual legislative session, if made out of session. The Legislature is authorized to prescribe such provisions as may be necessary to carry out Sections two and three of this article.”
• Amendment 3:
“Notwithstanding the authority to tax privileges or any other authority set forth in this Constitution, the Legislature shall not levy, authorize or otherwise permit any state or local tax upon payroll or earned personal income or any state or local tax measured by payroll or earned personal income; however, nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting any tax in effect on January 1, 2011, or adjustment of the rate of such tax.”
• Amendment 4:
Original language: “All other forms of lottery not authorized herein are expressly prohibited unless authorized by a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house of the general assembly for an annual event operated for the benefit of a 501(c)(3) organization located in this state, as defined by the 2000 United States Tax Code or as may be amended from time to time.
and by substituting instead the following language: All other forms of lottery not authorized herein are expressly prohibited unless authorized by a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house of the general assembly for an annual event operated for the benefit of a 501(c)(3) or a 501(c)(19) organization, as defined by the 2000 United States Tax Code, located in this state.”
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League of Women Voters Amendments Forum, 5:30 p.m., Oct. 13. Hamilton County Business Development Center, 100 Cherokee Blvd. Park at the Renaissance Park parking lot across the street.